Questions About Initializing HDDs in a Hikvision NVR?

[konstm]

Hello,

I am looking for some help, please.

I am investigating the potential deliberate deletion of the video footage from NVR (DS7732NIK4 32 channels, all in use) by formatting HDDs and would like to get some clarification on the logs:

I know that Initialize HDD flags the formatting process but I have been challenged on the following:
1. Does this message refers to the start or to the end of the formatting process?
2. Would it be possible to access hard drive during formatting process or the drive is locked? I mean can someone watch recordings during formatting process?
3. How long it could possibly take to format HDDs on NVR?

Thank you in advance
Kon StM

 

[Dan]

Hi @konstm

The answers to your questions are below:

1) Initialize message in the log relates to when the formatting process started
2) I don't believe it would be possible to access footage on a HDD that is in the process of being formatted (primarily because the formatting process is quite quick)
3) We tested a small 2TB HDD and that initialised in less than 20 seconds, if it was a larger HDD (8TB, 10TB, or larger) and that disk was at full capacity it may take a couple of minutes.

 

[konstm]

Hi @konstm

The answers to your questions are below:

1) Initialize message in the log relates to when the formatting process started
2) I don't believe it would be possible to access footage on a HDD that is in the process of being formatted (primarily because the formatting process is quite quick)
3) We tested a small 2TB HDD and that initialised in less than 20 seconds, if it was a larger HDD (8TB, 10TB, or larger) and that disk was at full capacity it may take a couple of minutes.

Hi @Dan,

Thank you very much, this helps a lot! Also, how long it could take to format all the drives and to reboot the NVR? As this, I assume the part of the process

 

[Dan]

Total formatting time would depend on the size of each HDD and how full each HDD was, but if we say 1-2 minutes each then 4 HDDs in 7732NI-K4 would probably take roughly 5-10 minutes to completely format full/almost full HDDs.

The NVR shouldn't need to reboot after formatting the HDDs.